Wheatcroftwillow

05/09/2026

My next event is the in Derbyshire next weekend 12th and 13th September.
I am so looking forward to this event. I once appeared there many years ago in the market place but this time I have a beautiful venue the Glenorchy centre in town kindly hosted by Ray.
I'm sharing the venue with HARRIET ECCLESTON LTD so I'm in good company.
I'm making behind the scenes, splitting wood, weaving willow, creating new products and thinking about how to display everything.
Looking forward to seeing customers old and new

02/09/2026

When I was younger and skint, I used to buy the odd copy of Country Living UK | magazine and lust over the pretty cottages, gardens, artisans and their studios and dream of having my work featured in its pages.
Well, I was really excited to be told that one of my backpacks was possibly going to be featured in the October edition on seasonal buys for embracing autumn's riches. And my friend Claire Parton messaged me to say did I know it was in there when she got her early edition as a subscriber. Thanks Claire x
My 15 year old was mildly impressed 😆
Photo by Jenny Harper

31/08/2026

My heart is full after a fantastic baskety week.
Firstly, 3 days learning beautiful skeined frame basketry from Benjamin Nauleau, a generous and knowledgeable teacher. I learned so many skills and new tricks about splitting hazel, rib dressing, frame basket design and formers and of course making those beautiful skeins.
Thank you so much Benjamin Nauleau , Janet Sampson - Basketmaker , Mandy Coates and Pebs for hosting at Elwy Working Woods
And to my fellow students for food, skill sharing, laughter and sharing. Only the best people can geek out over what phase of the moon is best for winter cutting hazel 😊
Then, onto Tear Up - Willow & Fibre Festival curated by
I didn't take many photos but I had the best time on the Wood Water Weave stand in the split wood area curated by Lorna Singleton So amazing to see our www students work together dressed beautifully by Sandra .and.weave .
Angela gave a fantastic talk on the lost swill of Sheffield, I taught a hazel taster course, Lorna was demonstrating her oak magic and Michelle Mateo was teaching an ash course and ash pounding on the Sunday.
We were lucky enough to have Micah Wiles demonstrating his rib making and oak dressing skills and I am so happy to have met Hege Iren Aasdal who is one of my absolute heroes 😊.
So many amazing makers and skills. I didn't get around the whole event there was so much to see, but managed a lovely brush making course with Amy Leake Amy who was a fab and patient teacher even though I was so slow.
I have so many ideas buzzing around in my brain, it will take me ages to process.
There is too many people to tag here and thank but 🙏

28/08/2026

I'm so excited to be leading a hazel taster afternoon Tear Up - Willow & Fibre Festival on Saturday afternoon.
You will learn how to remove and process hazel splints and how to harvest, what hazel to look for and seasonal changes.
Once you have some splints we will learn how to split some ribs and then using pre made hoop, start weaving a mini bowl.
Tickets for the weekend can still be purchased from the website, and my course will need to be booked at the main tent so get there early!
I'm also going to be hanging around the splitwood tent - curated by Lorna Singleton along with Lorna and a few other legends of the split wood world. Come and say hello,they don't bite 😊

If you miss this opportunity or are interested in longer experience, I have some places on my day long hazel taster in the Staffordshire Moorlands on September 16th. You can book this one via my website www.wheatcroftwillow.co.uk

23/08/2026

After a tough start, a lovely summer spent teaching, making and experimenting with friends and spending some holiday time with family.
Wrestled with my second ever swill with Angela, unpicking half of it this week 😆
# basketmakerssummer

18/08/2026

06/08/2026

Playing with dyeing with plants and ecoprinting, something I used to enjoy a very long time ago and last visited again with Maya Howes during her gcse textiles work. Lab partner was Laurel Gallagher who was on her own experimental journey.
Most colours ended up yellow, but the home made iron water mordant was a revelation and gave some bold results. More experiments next month and have some alder cones and birch bark soaking.
I forgot how much fun ecoprinting is.
Looking forward to combining some of this work with basketry. Not entirely sure how yet, but I have ideas!

31/07/2026

The hardest coffin I've ever made. A final goodbye to my beautiful nan yesterday, a celebration of her 96 years of life full of love and family and happy memories.
Thanks to Maya Howes for the beautiful lining and to Nicki Moss and Alison Foxtwood Holiday Cottages for evening sewing the night before delivery 🙏
And to Martin Evans for carving the name plate xx
Night night nan xx

19/07/2026

Day 2 at the Peak District Artisans Summer Showcase at the Octagon Pavilion Gardens as part of the
Day 1 saw a lovely mix of customers really interested in heritage crafts, including this lovely couple who made my day by buying hazel whisket. I'm just starting out in the split wood world, and it's a bit of side step from willow, so it feels really special when someone appreciates the time, effort and processes involved in the making.
Day 2 today , a great selection of artists and artists are selling their work and would love you to pop down and support them.